Obese kids have precursors to atherosclerosis and diabetes

Obese kids have blood vessel damage and insulin resistance which are precursors to atherosclerosis and diabetes, according to a research

Professor Grethe Tell (Norway), ESC prevention spokesperson, said that in one in 10 school-aged kids are overweight.

Tell said that bad habits have an impact on young hearts and the effects carry on until adulthood and regular exercise and a healthy diet need to be part of daily life from childhood and it’s essential that kids do not take up smoking.

Dr Mangner’s research1 found that obese children had early stages of atherosclerosis, which is when arteries become clogged with fatty materials such as cholesterol. Atherosclerosis greatly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Obese children also had insulin resistance as a pre-stage to diabetes and higher systolic blood pressure.

He said that it is worrying that young obese kids already have early signs of atherosclerosis, which puts them at increased risk of developing heart disease in later life.

He said that on top of that they also show early signs of diabetes and it is crucial that kids are active and eat healthily to avoid becoming obese and sentencing themselves to a life of ill-health.

Other research followed 2,552 subjects aged 25-39 years from the Framingham study for 30 years and found that obesity in young adults increases the risk of CVD or diabetes by 23 %.

Nearly the same increased risk was observed in normal weight adults with CVD risk factors (hypertension or dyslipidemia). Risk of CVD and diabetes was highest (45 %) in obese young adults with risk factors, and lowest (13 %) in those with normal weight and no risk factors.